Manually-controlled feeding mechanism for planers



W 4 1,678,302 C. F. RANDOLPH MANUALLY CONTROLLED FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PLANERS July 24,192

Filed July 11, 1925 2 Sheets5heet 1 mvsuran I TTUIIIIEY July 24,1928. 1,678,302 C. F. RANDOLPH "ANUALLY CONTROLLED FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PLANERS Filed July 11, 1925 2 Shees-$heet '2 ITTUIIIIEY Patented July 24, 1928.

. UNITED- ST TES "PATENT oFF icr.;.;

ammonia :s. RANDOLPH, or PLAINFI'ELQNEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR To miss-Benefits rem) COMPANY, on NEW YORK; n. Y.; A CORPORATION'OF NEW JERSEY.

MANUALLYQ-COVNTROLLED FEEDING ME H NISM 'i on marines.

Applicationifiledful y 11, .eria1;No. 43,022.

This invention relates to planet's and in particular to a simplified formoftool feeding means adaptedli'or heavy dutyplaners.

It is an object oftheYpresentinvention to provide a simplified formjo fplanerltool feeding means and having but few parts. Preferably it maybe actuated by an electrio motor and provided with manually operated controlling means whereby the operator may feed the tool variable d stances by" varying the time the motor 2 allowed to rotate, depending onthe particular part of the Work being operated iupo One feature ivhiclifenables me to team plish the above named object is that'fa motor preferably mounted at oneend ofjthe cross rail carrying the'planer tool" and assoc ated mechanism is connected to 'afeedscrevvfor moving the tool head fby geatredfconheh tions, the'motor being stopped andfstarted by means of a conveniently; located manually operated switch 'to' regulate tl l'eflen'gth 'l provide simple of: feeding or "traversing movement Another feature of -adval itage is that in the connections between th'e motor arifdthe screw a toothed safety clptch is interposed so that no breakage of parts will occur should the tool head strike against Ianobstruction during operation of the lQtOI";

Another 7 object of the inventionfis to means for obtaining either a short and relativelyslow feedingtmovement of the tool between successive-cutting strokes or a relatively rapid traversing movement ofthe tool to position it for operation or to return it to its initial posi-j tion. These means comprise, in the pre ferred embodiment of the invention, apair of back gears included Within the driving connections between the motor and screw which may be quickly moved to their oper ative or inoperative position. x j o 1 Another object ofthe invention is to 1provide indicating means movable with move; ments of the tool head so that the distance moved by the tool during its feeding move" ment is at once visible to the operator.

:lVith the above and other-objects in view, my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the renewin e fimeen and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; v

the accompanying drawingsg l have shown myinvention embodied in a planer for railroad frogs and switches, bl lilib will beunde rstood that the invention canbe otherwiseembhdiedi and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limit ing the scope ofthetinvention;theclaims appended to this specification being relied upoirforthatpnrpose. i l f} In the draw ngs:

"Figure 1 is a fro t elevation of i the toolhead feeding and traversing "mechai'lisni' mounted upon the! outer end of a planer cross rail. 4 1 I i v v Fi .21is an jend view/of the cross rail with the feeding and traversing mechanism h reo t i f T Fig.3 isa sectional view taken upon. line a Fig; fl is a de'ta'il view o'fhei'tain gear con nectionstaken iipon. line4-4 of Figjfl, andf", a q v 5 isa fragmentary plan view of partsof thegearing. i j

IIIQthe above mentioned drawings 1 have shovvn but one embodiment of theinvention Whichisnow deemed preferable but it is tofbe understood that changes and modifieations may bo made within thescope of the ppemied claims xvitl'xout departing from the spirit of tl'ieinvention. 1 Briefly'and 'nits broadest aspect my in; vent" nleomprises the following principal part firs't,fa cross rail suitably mounted or vertical movement upon the uprights a planerl; second a Y iinotoi-Q preferably mounted directly upon one end offthe cross raib; one or, more tool heads movable allongvvayslon the cross rail; fourth, screws engaging the tool heads for jn oving them along the rail; fifthp driving' connections 9 Te B mQ' l and, wo] adjacent gears, the driving connectionsfor these geai'sf beingso a anged that they rotate in opposite directions and-Imavfbe driven at different speeds; sixth, p nion gears rotatably nountedgon' the end of the screw; seventh, aclutch member splined: to the end of the screw and adapted to be engaged with either undue strains are placed upon the motor;

and ninth, an indicator adapted to be moved with movement of the tool head when moved for feeding the tool, whereby the distance moved may be readily determined.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, I provide a planerlO having a reciprocatory work supporting table 11 and an adjustable cross rail 12. This rail 12, as usual, and as shown in Fig. 1, is vertically adjustable upon side housings 13,'o'ne of which is shown in F igs. 1 and 3. On the cross rail 12 one or more toolheads 14 are adapted to be movably mounted, one of such tool heads 14 being shown in :Fig. 3.-

Each tool head 13 engages a screw 15 ex? tending the entire length of the cross/rail 12 so'that rotation of the screw 15 in opposite directions will move the tool head 14 back and forth along the rail.

Upon a bracket 16 mounted lupon'the' outer end of the cross rail 12 and preferably in rear thereof, is an electric motor 17. This mot0r 17 i drivingly connected With a worm 18 in alignment with its armature shaft. Engaging this worm- 18 is a worm gear 19 upon anintermediate shaft 20. Preferably, andas shown clearly in Fig. 3, the worm wheel 19 is mounted upona sleeve 21' rotatably mounted on'thisintermediate shaft 20, the-sleeve 21 being provided with a pinion gear 22 on one side andwith clutch teeth 23 on the opposite side. Adapted to be engaged with these clutch teeth 23 are teeth on a corresponding clutch member '24 suitably splined to this intermediate shaft 20. A large spur gear 25-is directly keyed to this clutch member 24. In order to move this clutch member 24 into and out of en'- gagement with the clutch teeth 23, a hand lever 26 is provided at thewlow'er end ofa vertical'shaft 27, ayoke member 28 being mounted on this shaft'27 engaging a groove inthis clutch member24. \Vith the clutch member 24 engaging the teeth 23, rotation of the worm wheel 19 serves to rotate the inter mediate shaft 20'at a relatively high speed.

Also on this intermediateshaft 2Q is'a safety clutch comprisingopposed plates 30 and 31 having serrations or teeth upon their co-acting surfaces. One of theseplates 31 is urged toward the other by means of a helical spring 32 housed within a suitable recess within the intermediate shaft 20. By means of the spring 32 the toothed members" of the clutch are held in engagement during nor mal operation of the planer or when the rail 12 is being raised. As soon,however,

as the toolheads 14 or. rail 12 encounter; an

obstacle the members of the clutch will have'their teeth disengaged so that no parts will be damaged or broken. Attached to one of the clutch plates 31 is a spur gear 32 which ha a pinion gear 33 in engagement therewith. Adjacent this, first spurgear 32 is a second spur gear 34 also having a pinion 35 in engagement therewith. The

two pinions 33. and 35 are inter-engaged as shown in Fig. From this description it will beeseen thatrotation of the first spur gear 32 will rotate the adjacent spur gear 34 in theopposite directiontl'irough the pair of co-acting or inter-engaging pinions 33 and 35. Preferably and as shown in the em- 'bodiment selected for illustration, the two spur gears 32 and 34are of the's'ame size.

On the outer end of eachof the screws '15 for actuating the'tool: heads 14 are rotatably mounted'pinions 36 "and 37 adapted to constantly engage the oppositely rotating spur gears 32 and .34. These pinion gears 36'and 3'4" are mounted so :that they may rotate freely upon the end of'a screw and are provided 'onadjacent ends with clutch teeth 38 adapted to be engaged by corresponding clutch teeth on an, intermediate clutch member 39suitably splinedto' the screw 15. By

placing thisclutch member 39 in engagement with one or the other of the pinions 36 or37, the screw '15 may be rotatedin opposite directions depending upon which of the two spur gears 32 or 34 is thus drivingly'con nected tothe'screw In thismanneri'the screw 15 maybe rotated in either direction at a'relatively high. speed to traverse the tool head 14 along the vcr'ossfrail 12.

'In" order'tofeed a toolhead 14 slowly along the" cross rail '12 between' operative movements of the table 11 for successive cutting operations, speed reducing gears .are

interposed between the worm wheel 19 and the intermediate shaft 20. =Adapted to engage the pinion 22 keyed to and rotating Withthe Worm wheel 19 is a relatively large spur gear 40'ona second intermediate shaft 41. This shaft 41 is provided with a pinion 42 engaging the spur gear25'keyed directly upon the clutch member 24 and therefore movable therewith. It will be seen that with the clutch memberv 24 in theiposition shown in Fig. 3, the worm wheel 19 will rotate I the secondv intermediate shaft 41 and with the 'clutch member 24 thereon positioned so that the pinion 42 engages the spur gear 25, the intermediate shaft 20 and the oppositely rotating gears 32 and 34 thereon will be rotated at 'a' relatively slow speed. A hand lever 45 on the lower endof a second vertical rod or shaft 46 provided with a yoke 47 serves for moving the pinion 42 on the second intermediate shaft41 into or out of operative position; As shown in 3, this pinion 42 and a 'clutclrmember 48 keyed to the shaft 41 have co-a'cting clutch teeth so that rotation of the shaft 41 posi- 'tively rotates" pinion aawhen pinion 42has its teeth in operativeposition' relative-to' the teetlr on member 48; Q

To indicatethe distance which the tool head 14 is moved during the feeding operat1on, the following mechanism s provided.

In engagement with spur "gear" on the intermediate shaft 20 is an intermediate gear 50 preferably directly above it as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This intermediate gear 50 is keyed to a shaft 60 and is in engagement with a small spur gear 51 on a shortshaft 52' having a bevel gear 53 atits inner end. This bevel gear 53 meshes with a corresponding bevel gear 54 on a forwardly extending stud 55 carrying a pointer 56 on its forward end. A dial 57 on the frameof the cross rail 12 is provided with graduations, and with numerals if desired, adjacent the free end of the pointer 56. These markings are so graduated that they correctly indicate the distance moved by the tool head 14 when actuated by rotation of the intermediate shaft 20 at its relatively slow speed. As it is not necessary to indicate the movement of the tool head 14 during the rapid traversing movement, means are provided to disengage the indicator mechanism when the rapid traversing mechanism is being used. For this purpose the vertical rod 46 carrying the yoke 47 for actuating the pinion 42 and its clutch member is provided with an arm 58 engaging a groove in a member 59 on the indicator driving shaft 60. With the hand lever 45 in position to move the pinion 42 and its clutch member out of operative position, the arm 58 moves the indicator driving gears 50 and 50 to an inoperativeposition. Preferably also this indicator driving shaft 60 is provided with a squared end so that with a wrench on the shaft 60 it may be used to manually feed the tool heads 14 or to ad just the height of the rail 12. As it is not desirable for the shaft 60 to rotate during the normal operation of the planer, means are provided so that the indicator ma be operated while no rotation of the she t 60 takes place. For this purpose a hub is formed on the gear 50 on which is rotatably mounted a similar gear 50 During normal operation of the planer the shaft 60 may be withdrawn so that the gear 50 is out of engagement with the gear 25. By manual operation therefore with the parts in these positions, the screws 15 may be rotated without rotation of the motor 17 and worm wheel 19. a

The motor 17 may be of conventional type and is preferably wired so that it may readily be reversed. For this purpose two push buttons 61 and 62 controlling operat ing switches are provided mounted on or adjacent the cross rail 12 in a suitable switch box 63. When one of these buttons 61 or 62 is depressed the motorfl'i -is rotated in' one direction and, when the other button is depressed, in the opposite direction. Normal'ly, when'the buttons 61 or 62 meme depressed,-the motor 17' is stationary and rotates only While one of the buttons held in depressed position. If desired the motor 17 may be wired so that it rotates always in the same direction and thus but one button is required. This requires, however, that the clutches 38 on the screws be shifted each time the direction of feed or traverse is changed. With the motor 17 controlled as shown, the tool heads, such as that shown at 14, may be moved in either direction while the motor 17 continues to rotate in the same direction by selecting the proper pinion gear 36 or 37.

What I claim is:

1. Feed mechanism for planers' comprising in combination, a cross rail, a tool head movable thereon, a screw on said rail engaging said head, a motor, a shaft on said cross rail, two driving connections between said motor and shaft for rotating said shaft at two different speeds in the same direction, a pair of oppositely rotating gears driven from said shaft, pinions directly driven from said gears, a clutch splined to said screw and adapted to engage either of said pinions to rotate said screw in either direction, manual means to engage either of said driving connections for said shaft, an indicator for determining movement of said head, and means to connect and disconnect said indicator sin'iultaneously with engagement with one or the other of said driving connections.

2. Feed mechanism for planers comprising in combination, a cross rail, a tool head movable thereon, a screw on said rail engaging said head, amotor on said cross rail, a shaft on said cross rail, two driving connections between said motor and shaft for rotating said shaft at two different speeds in the same direction, a pair of oppositely rotating gears driven from said shaft, pinions rotatably mounted on said screw and connected respectively to said gears, a clutch splined to said screw and adapted to engage either of said pinions to rotate said screw in either direction, manual means to engage either of said driving connections for said shaft, an indicator for determining movemeflt of said head, and means to connect and disconnect said indicator simultaneously with engagement with one or the other of said driving connections.

3. Feed mechanism for planers comprising in combination, a cross rail, a tool head movable thereon, a screw on said rail engaging said head, a motor, a shaft on said a from said shaft, pinions driven byv said gears, aclutch splined to said screw and adapted to engage either of said gears to rotate said screw in either direction, manual means to operate said clutch, manual means to engage either of said driving connections for said shaft, an indicator for determining movement of said head, and means to connect and disconnect-said indicator simultaneously with engagement with one or the other of saiddriving. connections.

In testimony whereof, Ihereto afiix my signature.

- CLIFFORD F. RANDOLPH. 

